Means for towing canal-boats.



' No. 66l,663. Patented Nov. 13. I900.

. c. A. B. o. KDTTGEN.

MEANS FOR TOWING CANAL BOATS.

(Application filed Oct. 14, 1898.)

\ (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheafl.

jnverz for; ,4 62 Car! xi a'flyeii l W I oiaiizzeyai m; upnms PETERS cov PHOYO-LITHQ. wnswmomn. n. c.

N0: senses.

(No Model.)

Patented Nov. [3, I900.

c. A. B. n. KDTTGEN.

MEANS FOR TOWING CANAL BOATS. I

(Application filed on. 14, 189B.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

' 6 1| 2'; r o v HJWZXZZUZ' vfi-torrzqya m: NbRRIS wzrzns col. mamu'rno WASHINGTON n c NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CARL ARNOLD BERNARD DANIEL KOTTGEN, OF CHARLOTTENBURG, GER MANY, ASSIGNOR TO THE SIEMENS & HALSKE ELECTRIC COMPANY OF AMERICA, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

MEANS FOR TOWING CANAL-BOATS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 661,663, dated November 13, 1900.

Application filed October 14, 1898. Serial No. 693,545. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern: of the rail, and thereby greatly increase the Be it known that I, CARL ARNOLD BER- capacity of said motor for accomplishing its NARD DANIEL KOTTGEN, a subject of the Emobject. peror of Germany,residingat Charlottenburg, My said invention will be more readily un- Germany, have invented a certain new and derstood by referring to the accompanying 55 useful Improvement in Traction-Motors for drawings, wherein- Towing, (Case 163,) of which the following is Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view, partlyin a full, clear, concise, and exact description. vertical section, showing the motor resting My invention relates to improvements in upon its single rail on the embankment of a traction-motors for towing vessels on canals canal and connected with the barge to be 60 or waterways, the object of my said inventowed. Fig. 2'is a plan view of the above. tion being to provide a motor for the above Fig. 3 is a detail view of the roadway and purposewhich will be efficientandatthe same wheels of the motor, showing a single rail time secure a saving in the cost of construccarried upon a stringer. Fig. 4 is a similar tion and maintenance. .view illustrating the use of a geared traction- 65 Inasmuch as I have provided means wherewheel and concrete foundations for the rail; by the single rail may be made to take up and Fig. 5 shows an adaptation of my sysboth the tractive and laterally-acting compotom wherein the motor is carried upon piles nents which are commonly found in towing driven along or in the river-bed, the grippingthe system becomes entirely practical with wheels being also indicated in said figure. 70 but half the outlay for road-bed which is The same letter of reference is used to desnecessitated when two rails are used. Furignate like parts in each of the several figures thermore, the motor of my invention overof the drawings. comes difficulties which would be experienced The dynamo a, connected with the motor should an ordinary locomotive be employed bya trolley-wire or any other suitable means 75 upon a double line of rails. of supplying current to the electric motor I),

I will describe my invention in connection is adapted to furnish the power for the tracwith an electrically-propelled traction-motor tion-motor 0, shown upon the embankment, which is adapted to draw boats along the line Fig. 1. For the traction-wheels d of the moof a canal and which is provided with a sintor a single rail is provided, the said wheels 80 gle rail whereon the said motor travels. The being placed in alinement and adapted to motor is provided with a set of two or more bear thereon, whereby the greater portion of traction-wheels which are disposed in alinethe weight ofthe traction-motorcis supported. ment and bear upon the single rail in ques- Extending upon one side of the motorare the tion. The weight of the motor is so disposed lateral supporting-wheels d, which rest upon 85 that substantially all is carried upon this set the path or roadway, although, if found necof traction-wheels, an additional wheel or essary, a light rail may be laid or other prowheels being provided at one side of the movision may be made for supporting the auxtor for the purpose of giving stability, which iliary wheels. I preferably construct the mowheels preferably find their support upon the tor so that four-fifths or five-sixths of the 90 path orroadway. The traction-wheels are proweight is carried upon the traction-wheels d vided with coacting rollers which are adapted and the rail 6. At the sides of these wheels to engage the side of the rail-head and prevent are provided rollers f, which engage the outthe motor from being drawn from its posiside of the head of rail e and prevent the tion upon the rail. Should the tractive mowheels from leaving the track. To make the 95 Inent not be sufficient, I may employ a gearpurpose of my invention more clear, I have wheel and rack in connection with the tracshown a boat g, connected by cable g with tion-wheels, or, again, the side rollers may the traction-motor, and have drawn in Fig. be developedinto positivelydriven pressure- 2 the parallelogram of forces met with in rollers which are adapted to grip the sides towing the boat. I00

The component 00 indicates the tractive force exerted along the length of the rail, the component y the lateral force exerted in the direction perpendicular thereto, and the resultant 2 represents the force exerted upon the cable g in towing the boat g. The traction-wheels d, driven by motors b, furnish the tractive effort 00, while the rollers f counteract the lateral force y, being in engagement with the side of the rail-head. It will be seen that by the use of lateral rollers f instead of a double flanged wheel upon the traction-motor of my invention all liability of the latter to leave the rail by reason of this lateral force isprevented, whereas a flanged wheel would bind and result in wear of the engaging parts and, moreover,would be likely to frequent derailment.

The rail e may be laid upona longitudinal stringer suitably anchored or bedded in the earth, as shown in Fig. 3, or it may be secured in'masonry or concrete, as indicated in Fig. 4, or, again, said rail may be carried upon piles driven in the river-bed, as shown in Fig. 5. Fig. 4 illustrates the use of a rack e in connection with the rail which is adapted to be engaged by a gear-wheel 6 forming a part of the traction-wheel 61, whereby the tractive moment of the motor may be indefinitely increased. In Fig. 5 the rail 6 carries supporting rollers h, loosely mounted upon their shafts, bearing the weight of the motor. The laterally-acting pressure-rollers h, one or both of which may be driven by electric motors, are forced against the sides of the rail-head by means of springs or electromagnetism, securin g thereby an enormous gripping action, which overcomes the necessity of using the rack and gear where a heavy tractive force is desired.

Theconstruction illustrated in Fig. 5 is particularly adapted to secure the desired pressure of the rollers h upon the sides of the rail 6, roller h being mounted to swing upon an arm h the arms h if being united by a spring 7Z that tends to draw the same together, and thereby bring the rollers h h into firm engagement with the said rail.

A number of advantages accrue when the construction illustratedin Fig. 5 is employed for carrying the traction-motor. This is particularly adapted for use in marshy localities or along the banks of rivers or lakes where the boats make frequent stops or landings. Piles is are driven into the river-bed or along the desired path of the traction-motor, the same supporting the rail 6 upon longitudinal stringers, while provision is made for the lateral wheels (1 by laying a light rail 6 upon structural iron braces Z, connected with the the said piles. A motor traveling upon the track as thus arranged, it will be seen, can proceed without interruption, since its line of travel may be elevated and so arranged that boats lying along the shore will in no manner be interfered with. This construction lends itself to river-courses Where a towing-path is unobtainable or shallow stretches of lake or ocean.

When the rail is laid along the embankment, as illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, the same preferably is located a sufficient distance from the edge of the bank to give the rail a firm foundation and enable it to resist the strain imparted. by the traction-motor. For this purpose the side rollers f should engage the outer side of the rail-head. Obviously in positions along the embankment where it is found desirable provision for the support of the lateral wheels in the shape of a prepared path or light rails may be made with advantage.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 'is

1. In a traction-motor adapted to travel upon a single rail, the combination with supporting-wheels placed in alinement and carrying the weight of the motor upon the single rail-head, of lateral rollers associated with said wheels, engaging the side of the rail and adapted to resist lateral strain, secondary Wheels carried upon the motor by a laterallyextending frame in position to support a small portion of its weight and assist the lateral rollers,and electrical means for-supplying the tractive power, substantially as described.

2. In a traction-motor adapted to travel upon a single rail, the combination with supporting-wheels placed in alinement and car-- rying the weight of the motor upon the single rail-head, of lateral rollers mounted in the motor-frame adjacent to the supporting- WhBQlS in position to engage the side of the rail-head, adapted to resist lateral strain, secondary wheels carried upon the motor by a laterally-extending frame in position to support a small portion of its weight and assist the lateral rollers, and electrical means for supplying the tractive power, substantially as described.

3. In a traction-motor adapted to travel upon a single rail, the combination with wheels h carrying the major portion of the motors weight and adapted to bear upon the top of the rail-head, of pressure-rollers it, means for forcing said pressure-rollers into close engagement with the sides of the railhead, secondary wheels 01 placed at one side of the motor, and electrical means for driving the pressure-rollers, whereby the tractionmotor is propelled along the supporting-rail, substantially as described.

In witness whereof I hereunto subscribe my name this 20th day of September, A. D. 1898.

CARL ARNOLD BERNARD DANIEL KllT'ltlllN.

Witnesses:

PAUL ROEDIGER, O. H. DAY. 

